The Best Full-Day Tours

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1 1 CO PY RI GH TE D MA TE RI AL The Best Full-Day Tours

2 6 The Best Full-Day Tours The Best in One Day Frederik Frederik Hendrikstraat Hendrikstraat straat Tweede Hugo de Grootstraat Hugo de Grootgracht De Clercqstraat Da Costastr. Da Costa- gracht gracht Van Oldenbarneveldtplein Kinkerstraat Eerste Eerste Constantijn Constantijn Huygensstr. Huygensstr. Overtoom Nassaukade Jacob van Lennepkanaal VONDELPARK 5 Singelgracht Lijnbaansgracht Lijnbaansgracht Nassaukade Willemsparkweg Vondelstraat Egelantiersstraat Leliestraat Lijnbaansgracht Rozengracht Rozenstraat Laurierstraat Marnixstraat Bloemstraat Elandsstraat Elandsgracht Vossiusstraat Jan Luijkenstraat Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstr. Paulus Potterstr. Anjeliersstr. Egelantiersgracht Bloemgracht Lauriergracht Singelgracht 4 JORDAAN Prinsengracht racht Berenstraat Reestraat Runstraat Huidenstraat Lange Leidsedwarsstraat Leidsedwarsstraat Korte Leidsedwarsstraat Leidsedwarsstraat Stadhouderskade Hobbemastr. 7 Vermeerstraat Leliegracht 6 Westerkerk raat Raadhuisst Keizersgracht racht Wolvenstraat Hartenstraat Prinsenstraat Leidsegracht Herengracht racht Kerkstraat Leidsestraat Prinsengracht Lijnbaansgracht Weteringschans 2 Rijksmuseum 3 Hobbemakade Ruysdaelkade Singel Spuistraat Herengracht Keizers- Voorburgwal zijds Spiegelstraat Spiegelstraat Paleisstr. Kalverstraat Eerste Weteringdwarsstr. Singelgracht wetering Boeren- Frans Halsstraat 0 Spui Rokin Rokin Heiligeweg Singel Vijzelstraat Singel Nes Reguliersdwarsstraat gracht 200 yds m Kerk Koninklijk Paleis Dam Kerkstraat Vijzelgracht Vijzelstraat Heinekenplein Weteringplantsoen Doelenstraat Looiersgracht Concertgebouw Koningsplein Leidseplein Muntplein Noorderstr. Stadhouderskade Van Gogh 1 Museum Stedelijk Museum Museum- (reopening 2009) plein DE PIJP N Information Main Post Office 1 Van Gogh Museum 2 City Canal Cruise 3 Rijksmuseum 4 Pieter Cornelisz Hoofstraat 5 Vondelpark 6 Anne Frankhuis 7 De Prins Previous page: Tulips at a city market.

3 7 msterdam is a compact city, so this 1-day tour allows you to see the major highlights with minimal time spent on public transportation. Wear comfortable shoes and be sure to look both ways as you cross major intersections bicyclists follow no rules here and they travel at alarming speeds. START: Tram 2 or 5 to Museumplein. 1 Van Gogh Museum. This gem of a museum houses the world s largest collection of Vincent van Gogh s work: 200 paintings, 580 drawings, and over 700 letters by Vincent himself (most written to his brother, Theo). A four-story building designed by Gerrit Rietveld houses the permanent collection. Although most of the work here is by van Gogh, the third floor includes paintings by Impressionist artists such as Monet, Seurat, Pissarro, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec. An adjacent building in the shape of an ellipse, designed by Japanese organic architect Kisho Kurokawa and opened in 1999, houses temporary exhibits. These change every 3 or 4 months and often include some of van Gogh s drawings. Check the museum website for the 3 hr. Arrive at 9:45am to beat the crowds; buy tickets from the museum s website to cut down on wait time. Paulus Potterstraat 7 (at Museumplein). y 020/ Admission 13 adults, 2.50 kids Sat Thurs 10am 6pm; Fri 10am 10pm. Closed Jan 1. Tram: 2, 3, 5, or 12 to Van Baerlestraat. 2 City Canal Cruise. There s no better way to discover Amsterdam than from its canals. Sure, it s touristy, but I can t think of a better way to see a large chunk of Amsterdam in a short time. You can opt to sit outside (on some boats) if the weather permits or settle into a comfortable seat indoors. A typical cruise, for instance with the Blue Boat Company, has the boat loop northward on the western canals, circle Centraal Station, and loop back to the departure point along the eastern canals. There s commentary in English, so you ll know A man studies one of van Gogh s self-portraits. The Best in One Day A

4 8 The Best Full-Day Tours Touring Amsterdam by canal boat can help you get a feel for the city. what you re hr. Stadhouderskade (at Leideseplein). y 020/ Tickets 9 adults; 6 kids 4 12 (prices may vary slightly from line to line). Departures every 30 min. 10am 6pm Apr Sept; every hr. 10am 6pm Oct Mar. Tram: 1, 2, 5, 7, or 10 to Leidseplein. 3 Rijksmuseum. Petrus Josephus Hubertus Cuypers ( ), the grandfather of modern Dutch architecture, designed this museum in a monumental Dutch neo-renaissance style. Cuypers, a Catholic, slipped in more than a dab of neo-gothic, too, causing the country s thoroughly Protestant King William III to scorn what he called that cathedral. The building opened in 1885 to a less-than-enthusiastic public reception. Most of the museum is closed for major renovations until 2010 at the earliest, but a small section of the museum, the Philips Wing, remains open throughout the renovation to showcase the Masterpieces the museum s highlights. Rembrandt and Vermeer lovers, don t panic: You can still see Nightwatch and The Kitchen Maid. In fact, you ll find an entire room filled with Rembrandts. Three other galleries are dedicated to Vermeer, Frans Hals, and Jan hr. Jan Luijkenstraat 1 (at Museumplein). Van Gogh: 10 Years of Genius The second floor of the Van Gogh Museum s permanent exhibit gives you a fascinating chronological insight into van Gogh s life and work. Although his career as a painter lasted only 10 years during which time he completed over 900 paintings you ll see stunning shifts in style and color as you move from one year and one geographical area to another. For example, compare the dark and somber Potato Eaters from his earliest work in Holland in 1885 to the light and airy View of the Roofs of Paris, completed just a year later. The paintings van Gogh completed in Arles like his famous Bedroom at Arles (1888) explode with color. There are several lesser-known paintings from the last year of his life, including the ominous Wheatfield Under Thundercloud, painted shortly before his suicide in 1890.

5 9 y 020/ nl. Admission 10 adults, free for kids under 19. Sat Thurs 9am 6pm; Fri 9am 8:30pm. Closed Jan. 1. Tram: 2 or 5 to Hobbemastraat. 4 Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraat. The city s most upscale shopping district lies just a block from the Rijksmuseum, so those with shopping aspirations should take advantage of the opportunity to spend an hour strolling the short but oh-so-chic P.C. Hooftstraat (locals usually shorten the name to P.C. Hooft ). You ll find the quintessential jet-set boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci clustered on this primo stretch of real min. Shops open Mon Sat 10am 6pm. Tram: 2 or 5 to Hobbemastraat. 5 Vondelpark. A 2-minute stroll from the Rijksmuseum and P.C. Hooftstraat brings you to the largest and most popular park in Amsterdam. Vondelpark is 44 hectares (109 acres) of peace and quiet, a cherished open space speckled with trees in this terribly dense city. Benches overlook small ponds, walking trails, and bike trails. See also the tour of Vondelpark on p 30 min. Enter through the gates on Stadhouderskade, at the corner of Vossiusstraat. Open 24 hr. Tram: 1, 2, 5, 7, or 10 to Leidseplein. 6 Anne Frankhuis. It s about a 30-minute walk from Vondelpark to the Anne Frank House (or you can catch a tram). It was in this typical Amsterdam canal house that a 13- year-old Anne Frank began to keep her famous diary. For 2 years during World War II, the Frank family and other Jewish refugees hid in neartotal silence in these rooms, before they were betrayed and Nazi forces raided the house and deported them to concentration camps. You can see where young Anne pinned up photos of her favorite actress, Deanna Durbin, and view an original copy of Anne s diary. Protective Plexiglas panels have been placed over some walls, but little else has changed since the Franks lived here. Almost a million visitors a year tour this house; be prepared to spend some time waiting to hr. Arrive after 4pm to avoid long lines, especially in summer. Prinsengracht 263 (at Westermarkt). y 020/ www. annefrank.nl. Admission 7.50 adults, 3.50 kids Mid-Mar to June and 1st 2 weeks in Sept Sun Fri 9am 9pm, Sat 9am 10pm; July Aug daily 9am 10pm; mid-sept to mid- Mar daily 9am 7pm; Jan 1 & Dec 25 noon 7pm; May 4 9am 7pm; Dec 16 & 31 9am 5pm. Closed Yom Kippur. Tram: 13, 14, or 17 to Westermarkt. 7 De Prins. After a long day of sightseeing, relax with the locals at a traditional Dutch eetcafé (cafe with eats). One of my favorites is just across the canal from the Anne Frankhuis. Choose from a great selection of Dutch and Belgian beers, and select from an unpretentious but inventive Continental menu. Prinsengracht 124. y 020/ $. The attic where Anne Frank and her family lived for 2 years. The Best in One Day

6 10 The Best Full-Day Tours Vondelstraat ht The Best in Two Days Eerste Marnixplantsoen Tuinstraat Rozenstraat Elandsstr. Palmstraat Willemsstraat Goudsbloemstraat Lindengracht Westerstraat Rozengracht Laurierstr. Anjeliersstr. Egelantiersstraat Egelantiersgracht Leliestr. Bloemgracht Bloemstraat JORDAAN 9 Prinsengracht racht Lange Leidsedwarsstraat Korte Leidsedwarsstraat Leidsedwarsstraat Stadhouderskade VONDELPARK Luijkenstraat aulus Potterstr. Haarlemmerdijk Haarlemmerdijk Vinkenstraat Vinkenstraat Brouwersgracht raat Raadhuisst Leidsegracht Prinsen- Prinsen- gracht Leliegracht Westerkerk Keizersgracht racht Herengracht racht Kerkstraat Kerkstraat Leidsestraat Prinsengracht Lijnbaansgracht Singelgracht Vermeerstraat Weteringschans ren- wetering Hobbemakade Ruysdaelkade Noorderkerk Keizers- gracht gracht Singel Spuistraat Herengracht Keizers- zijds Voorburgwal Spiegelstraat Westerdokskade Haarlemmer Houttuinen Haarlemmerstraat Heren- gracht Spui Paleisstr. Kalverstraat Raamgracht Lauriergracht Koningsplein 3 Eerste Weteringdwarsstr. s Halsstraat 1 Rokin Rokin Rokin Vijzelstraat Nes Kerkstraat Vijzelgracht Vijzelstraat ndijk ndijk Voorburgwal zijds 5 Doelenstraat Heiligeweg Singel breestraat Elandsgracht Reguliersdwarsstraat gracht Spuistraat Dam Noorderstr. Stadhouderskade ndijk Damrak Rusland Reguliersgracht Reguliersgracht De Ruijterkade Stationsplein M Centraal Station Damrak Damrak Warmoesstr. Warmoesstr. Zeedijk Zeedijk O.Z. Achterburgwal Achterburgwal Oudezijds Voorburgwal Amstel Groenburgwal Kloveniersburgwal Kloveniersburgwal Sint-Antonies- Jodenbreestr. Waterlooplein Stadhuis Muziektheater M Waterlooplein Wolvenstraat Hartenstraat Herenstraat Prinsenstraat Huidenstraat Runstraat Berenstraat Reestraat 7 RED LIGHT DISTRICT 8 Nieuwmarkt Nieuwmarkt M Looiersgracht Herengracht H e t I J Centraal Station Binnenamstel 0 Waterplein West Kerk- straat 200 yds m 1 Rijksmuseum Amsterdams Historisch Museum 6 Kerk 2 Weteringplantsoen Café-Brasserie Kalvertoren 7 Oude Kerk Van Gogh 3 Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market) 8 Red Light District Museum delijk 4 Dam 9 Jordaan seum Museumplein5 Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace) Heineken- pening 2009) plein Geldersekade Geldersekade Beursplein Leidseplein Muntplein Rembrandtplein Blauwbrug Amstel R. R. Information Main Post Office M Metro N Stadhouderskade

7 If you followed the Best in One Day tour, then you ve already visited the most popular attractions and gotten an overview of the city from a canal cruise. Today you ll dig further into Amsterdam s history and architecture by visiting some of its monuments, smaller museums, and neighborhoods. You ll also stroll around the Flower Market and take a peek at the infamous Red Light District. START: Tram: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 14, 16, 24, or 25 to Spui. 1 Amsterdams Historisch Museum (Amsterdam Historical Museum). Starting your day at this fascinating museum will give you a much deeper understanding of everything you ll see as you tour the city. The museum is housed in a former orphanage dating back to the 17th century (a small part of it dates back to 1578, when it was a convent). Gallery by gallery, century by century, you learn how a small fishing village founded around 1200 became a major sea power and trading center. Many exhibits focus on the 17th-century Gouden Eeuw (Golden Age), when Amsterdam was the richest city in the world. Art lovers will enjoy seeing famous paintings by Dutch masters explained in the context of their time and place in history. An intricate scale model from 1677 shows what is now the Royal Palace (stop 5 on this tour); some of its outer walls and the roof have been removed to give you a bird s-eye look inside. Lots of handson exhibits and some interesting video displays round out the 2 hr. Kalverstraat 92, zijds Voorburgwal 357, and Sint-Luciënsteeg 27. y 020/ Admission 7 adults, 5.25 seniors, 3.50 kids Mon Fri 10am 5pm; Sat Sun and holidays 11am 5pm. Closed Jan 1, Apr 30, Dec 25. Tram: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 14, 16, 24, or 25 to Spui. 2 Café-Brasserie Kalvertoren. I love to stop at the Kalvertoren in the late morning before the lunch rush An exhibit hall in the Amsterdam Historical Museum. and take in the heavenly 360-degree views of Amsterdam. If the weather is fine, you can grab a seat on the topfloor terrace, but the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the expansive lower dining room are equally panoramic. My favorite snack is a slathering of goat cheese on toasted focaccia with fresh tomatoes. The salade niçoise is excellent, and fried eggs with ham and cheese make a perfect late breakfast. Top floor of the Kalvertoren mall, enter on Singel 457 and take the elevator to the 3rd floor. y 020/ Mon Wed 10am 6:30pm, Thurs Sat 10am midnight, Sun 11am 6:30pm. $$. 3 Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market). Since you re in the heart of 11 The Best in Two Days

8 The Best Full-Day Tours 12 11am 5:30pm. Tram: 4, 9, 14, 16, 24, or 25. Gardeners will enjoy choosing from the large variety of tulip bulbs at Amsterdam s Flower Market. Amsterdam s main shopping street, Kalverstraat, you may want to spend some time browsing. When you ve had your fill, head two streets south to the Singel canal (at Muntplein) where you ll find the Flower Market, which partially floats on a row of permanently moored barges, exploding with color and hundreds of flowers. Fresh tulips here cost about the same as those sold at the flower stands around town, so I don t recommend buying flowers and carrying them around all day. But it s a good place to pick up ready-to-travel packets of tulip bulbs that slip easily into your backpack or purse. Singel (at Muntplein). Mon Sat 9am 5:30pm, Sun The Dam. 4 Dam. The Dam is the square that s the epicenter of Amsterdam. It s the site of the original dam built across the Amstel River in the 13th century, hence the name. It s not particularly grand the surrounding buildings are a mix of architectural styles, and pedestrians, bikes, trams, and cars perpetually jam the surrounding streets. But several of the city s important monuments can be found here: the Koninklijk Paleis, Nationaal Monument, and the Kerk. Take a walk (beware of those trams!) around the Nationaal Monument, a white column erected in 1956 as a national tribute to Dutch citizens who died during the Nazi occupation during World War II. Urns filled with soil from the various provinces of the Netherlands and its former possessions overseas sit behind the monument (sculpted by Dutch artist John 15 min. Tram: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 24, or 25 to the Dam. 5 Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace). This is still the official residence of the reigning king or queen of the Netherlands, though Queen

9 13 The Best in Two Days The Oude Kerk (Old Church). Beatrix and the other scions of the House of Orange prefer to live in The Hague. The palace ( ), originally designed as Amsterdam s Town Hall, has a solid, neoclassical facade. The building didn t become a palace until Its interior is filled with early-19th-century furniture, chandeliers, and marble floors. The most interesting room is the high-ceilinged Burgerzaal (Citizens Chamber), where the maps inlaid on the marble floors show Amsterdam as the center of the world. The palace is closed to visitors during periods of royal residence and state receptions. Note: At this writing it was closed completely for renovations and due to reopen from Until then it can be viewed only from the 1 hr. (when the palace reopens). Dam. y 020/ nl. The following prices and hours were current when the palace was last open and may change. Admission 4.50 adults; 3.60 seniors, students & kids Easter holidays & June Aug daily 11am 5pm; Sept to mid-dec & mid-feb to May Tues Thurs 12:30 5pm (days & hours vary with little or no notice; check before going). 6 Kerk (New Church). Originally built in the 14th century as the city s second Catholic Church, the Kerk was largely destroyed by fire in the 17th century (look for the carved gilded ceiling above the choir, which survived). A great deal of its original neo-gothic grandeur has been restored, and all Dutch monarchs are inaugurated (not crowned!) here. Don t miss the elaborately carved altar and the great pipe organ (from about 1645), which is still used for concerts. In the south transept, the lower-right corner of the stained-glass windows depicts Queen Wilhelmina surrounded by courtiers at her 30 min. Dam (next to the Royal Palace). y 020/ Admission varies with different events; free One of the Kerk s (New Church s) elaborate stained-glass windows.

10 14 The Best Full-Day Tours The Royal Household Although the queen s official residence is the Royal Palace, she does not own it, nor does she own any of her other residences. The state makes them available to her and allocates a budget of about 4,000,000 per year to manage her royal household. Her salary is separate. She earns a net income of 750,000 ; the amount is not taxable. She pays taxes only on her private assets which, though difficult to calculate, are not substantial enough to make her one of richest women in the world, as was once thought. when there s no special exhibit. Daily 10am 6pm. 7 Oude Kerk (Old Church). A walk of several blocks east from the Kerk (into the Red Light District), brings you to the late-gothic, triple-nave church, which was begun in 1250 and completed with the extension of the bell tower in Rembrandt s wife lies in vault 28K, which bears the simple inscription Saskia Juni The magnificent 1728 open organ is regularly used for recitals. You can climb the church tower on a half-hourly guided tour (in English) for a great view of Old Amsterdam and the adjacent Red Light District. Just outside the Oude Kerk is what s claimed to be the world s first monument to prostitution. The Old Church s famous organ. bronze sculpture Belle (2007), depicts a hooker standing in a doorway and bears an inscription calling for respect for sexworkers [sic] all over the 30 min. Oudekerksplein (at Oudezijds Voorburgwal). y 020/ church; 020/ tower. Church: Admission 7 adults, 5 students, 1 kids Mon Sat 11am 5pm; Sun 1 5pm. Tower: Admission 6 ; minimum age 12. Apr Sept Sat Sun 1 5pm. Closed Jan 1 & Apr 30. Metro: Nieuwmarkt. 8 Red Light District. Amsterdam s Rosse Buurt (Red Light District) is one of its best-known attractions, with red lights illuminating minimally clad prostitutes on display behind glass windows along medieval canals and alleyways. There are also live, hard-core sex shows that leave nothing to the imagination. Some visitors are repulsed by the sight of flesh for sale; for others it s just a fascinating window into the world s oldest profession. The Oude Kerk is in the middle of the Red Light District, so you can simply cross the canal and stroll up and down Oudezijds Achterburgwal. The very narrow alleyways leading away from the canal are also lined with glass cages. It s not unsafe to meander here. You can skip it and head northwest from the Oude Kerk to Warmoesstraat, a pedestrian-only street lined with bars, funky sex shops (among them a condomerie ),

11 15 and coffee shops where patrons are more likely to order marijuana than coffee. From Oudezijds Achterburgwal, head back toward the Oude Kerk, cross Oudezijds Voorburgwal and you ll hit Warmoesstraat. Continue north along the street and you ll find yourself facing Centraal min. Dusk is the best time to visit, though it s open 24 hr. Metro: Nieuwmarkt. The Best in Two Days 9 Jordaan. It feels miles away from the crowded, sometimes seedy center city where you ve spent most of the day, yet the Jordaan is almost adjacent to Centraal Station and a great place to relax after a day of sightseeing. It s the most hip and unpretentiously elegant neighborhood in all of Amsterdam, its discreet canals lined with houseboats and its A woman in the Red Light District waits for a customer. streets full of quaint boutiques and delightful cafes. If you have the time and energy, check out the walking tour of the Jordaan (p 52). Also consider staying for dinner (see chapter 6, The Best Dining ). A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Dutch Sex Industry The Red Light District in Amsterdam dates back to the 13th century, when the city emerged as Europe s leading port and sailors returned from long trips desperate for female companionship. By 1850, with a little over 200,000 residents in the city, there were already over 200 brothels. Now, the sex industry is a $1-billion business in the Netherlands, (a minuscule piece of the $800 billion Dutch economy). To this day, there s debate within the government as to how to regulate this industry. In recent years, the city has been acting to rein in the sex industry and its links to organized crime, drugs, and human trafficking, by cutting the number of prostitutes windows and sex clubs, and encouraging the spread of normal life in the Red Light District. Some of the more mundane rules change constantly (such as: Can a prostitute claim lingerie on her income tax as a business write-off?), but the health department is very strict with its regulations. There are rules on everything from how hot the water needs to be before a prostitute washes her underwear to how long the women s nails can be. The women come from all walks of life and for some this is just a second job to earn extra cash. Some are young students, some are housewives. Women that you see in windows in the Red Light District can expect to earn 60 to 150 per customer, depending on what is asked of them. High-class prostitutes (found through an upmarket escort service or luxury brothel) can pull in over 1,000 a night.

12 sengracht cht 16 The Best Full-Day Tours The Best in Three Days Spuistraat Voorburgwal zijds Kerk Palei str. Kalverstraat Rokin Rokin Rokin Singel Vijzelstraat Kerkstraat Vijzelgracht Vijzelstraat ndijk Koninklijk Paleis Dam Nes Damrak Reguliersdwarsstraat Noorderstr. Lijnbaansgracht Weteringschans Stadhouderskade Frederiksplein Heinekenplein Bol- str. Ferdinand Eerste van der Helststr. Eerste Jacob Steenstr. Ceintuurbaan Warmoesstr. O.Z. Achterburgwal Achterburgwal Oudezijds Voorburgwal Amstel Utrechtsestraat Utrechtsestraat Nicolaas Witsenkade Singelgracht Gerard Doustraat Govert Flinckstraat Kloveniersburgwal Kloveniersburgwal Binnenamstel Zeedijk Sint-Antoniesbreestraat Amstelstr. Herengracht Keizers- gracht Kerk- straat Albert Cuypstraat Prinsen- gracht Utrechtsedwarsstraat Waals- Jodenbreestr. Binnenkant Oude Waal Waal Tweede Jacob Steenstr. Tweede Jan van der Heijdestraat Ceintuurbaan eilandsgracht Oude Schans Amstel River River Uilenburgerstraat Hendrikkade Prins Valkenburgerstraat Muiderstr. Rapenburgerstr. Weesperstraat Kerkstraat Nieuwmarkt M Nieuwmarkt Beurs- Oude plein Kerk RED LIGHT DISTRICT Weesperplein Weesperplein M Amsteldijk Amsteldijk DE PIJP M Metro Heren- Sarphati- straat Mauritskade Weesperzijde Oosterdok Heiligeweg Gelderse- Geldersekade Groenburg- Groenburgwal Raamgracht Rusland 7 Spui Doelenstraaplein Mr. Stadhuis 6 Visser- Wertheim- Muziekpleipark Munttheater M Waterloo- Konings- Waterlooplein plein plein 4 5 Hortus Botanicus Rembrandtplein 2 Hermitage Amsterdam Amstelsluizen sluizen Weteringplantsoen 1 Reguliers- Reguliers- gracht gracht Amstelveld Sarphatipark Wou- Van Magere Brug straat 3 Hogesluis Blauwbrug Uilenburgergracht gracht Keizersgracht Middenlaan Plantage Plantage Muidergracht Prinsengracht Toronto Achtergracht Brug Amstelbrug Wibautstraat Wibautstraat Ruysch- straat Blasiusstr. Eerste Oosterparkstraat Wibautstraat M yds m N Albert Cuypmarkt Museum Willet-Holthuysen Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) Hortus Botanicus De Oranjerie Waterlooplein Flea Market Museum Het Rembrandthuis

13 If you ve followed the Best in One and Best in Two Days tours, then you ve already seen many of the city s highlights. It s time to slow down a bit, blend in with the locals, meander around the markets, and take in some smaller museums. On this tour you ll also get a chance to (literally) stop and smell the roses at the relaxing Botanical Garden. START: Tram 16, 24, or 25 to Albert Cuypstraat. 17 The Best in Three Days The carefully restored kitchen at the Museum Willet-Holthuysen. 1 Albert Cuypmarkt. I love coming to the Albert Cuyp Market in the morning, getting lost in the frenzy of shoppers, and marveling at the rows of fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, and textiles on display. The street market lies along Albert Cuypstraat in the heart of De Pijp, a residential neighborhood that has a mixed population of young professionals and ethnic minorities, many of the latter hailing (though it may be several generations back) from the former Dutch colony of Suriname. The area is slightly more affordable than the Jordaan and therefore attracts a somewhat younger crowd. Along the streets that intersect Albert Cuypstraat, you ll find many cafes where you can get a quick pick-me-up of strong coffee or 1 hr. Albert Cuypstraat, between Van Woustraat & Ferdinand Bolstraat. Mon Sat 9am 6pm. Tram: 16 or 24 to Albert Cuypstraat. 2 Museum Willet-Holthuysen. This is one of the best-preserved 17th-century canal houses in Amsterdam. It was built in 1687 and Fun Facts & Figures In Amsterdam you ll find one million permanent residents; more than a million visitors each month; 600,000 flower bulbs in its parks and public gardens; 1,281 bridges (8 of them wooden drawbridges); 600,000 bicycles; 220,000 trees; 260 city trams; 6,800 16th-, 17th-, and 18th-century buildings; 1,400 cafes and bars; 755 restaurants; 206 paintings by van Gogh; and 22 paintings by Rembrandt.

14 The Best Full-Day Tours 18 11am 5pm. Closed Jan 1, Apr 30 & Dec 25. Tram: 4, 9, or 14 to Rembrandtplein. 3 Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge). After leaving the museum, Skinny Bridge at night. renovated several times before its last owner, Louisa Willet-Holthuysen, willed the mansion and her fine-art collection to the city in Among the most interesting rooms are a Victorian-era bedroom on the second floor, a large reception room with tapestry wall panels, and an 18th-century basement kitchen set up to look as though the cook has just stepped out to go shopping. Be sure to peek out at the impressively restored 18thcentury formal 45 min. Herengracht 605 (near the Amstel River). y 020/ www. willetholthuysen.nl. Admission 5 adults, 3.75 seniors, 2.50 kids Mon Fri 10am 5pm; Sat Sun head west toward the Amstel, and then south along the riverbank for a quick 15-minute detour to see this fantastic bridge. Legend has it that the Magere Brug was built to make it easier for two sisters (of the Mager family) who lived on opposite sides of the river to visit each other but mager also means thin in Dutch, hence the nickname. The double drawbridge was built in 1670 of African azobe wood; it was last renovated in Come during the day to see the unusual wood details, or at night to see it twinkling with hundreds of lights. If you re lucky, you might see the bridge master raising it to allow boats 15 min. The bridge spans the Amstel btw. Kerkstraat & Kerkstraat. 4 = Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Garden). On the right (east) bank of the river, go northeast to this oasis of green, a treasure trove of tropical plants taken from (among other places) the former Dutch colonies of Indonesia, Suriname, and the Antilles. Established in 1682, this lovely garden explodes with the The butterfly house at the Botanical Garden is a big hit with kids.

15 1706 by a Dutch merchant who smuggled it out of Ethiopia. The three-climate greenhouse gets progressively warmer as you walk through it most of the plants here come from Australia and South Africa. There s also an herb garden, a desert greenhouse, and a butterfly house with free-flying giant butterflies that kids will 1 hr. Plantage Middenlaan 2A. y 020/ Admission 7 adults, 3.50 seniors & kids Feb June & Sept Nov Mon Fri 9am 5pm, Sat Sun 10am 5pm; July Aug Mon Fri 9am 7pm, Sat Sun 10am 7pm; Dec Jan Mon Fri 9am 4pm, Sat Sun 10am 4pm. Closed Jan 1 & Dec 25. Tram: 9 or 14 to Plantage Middenlaan. 5 De Oranjerie. This cafe, in Hortus Botanicus, is one of my absolute favorite places to unwind and recharge. It s housed in the beautiful 1875 Oranjerie building, designed to shelter citrus trees in winter. The cafe serves one of the best apple pies in the city, along with delicious salads and Daily 11am 6 Waterloople ket. Another 10-min you to this quintesse Amsterdam flea mar before World War II, amazing antiques an paintings by the mas prices. Today you ca one merchant s tent hunting for good de from cooking pots to leather jackets, watc ful sweaters. I come people-watch. It s al to try some street fo fries eaten Dutch sty 30 min. Mon Sat 10am 5pm to Waterloo-plein. 7 Museum H huis (Rembrandt Museum). Just aro from Waterlooplein fully preserved hous artist Rembrandt van worked in the 17th c bought the three-sto when he was Amster

16 20 The Best Full-Day Tours fashionable portrait painter. In this house, Rembrandt s son Titus was born and his wife Saskia died (you may have seen her tomb at the Oude Kerk yesterday). Due to his extravagant lifestyle, Rembrandt was bankrupt when he left the house in 1658, and it wasn t until 1906 that the building was restored as a museum. Today the old house looks the way it did when Rembrandt lived and worked here the 17th-century furnishings closely match the detailed descriptions Rembrandt gave of his possessions in his 1656 bankruptcy petition. You ll see the kitchen and maid s bedroom on the ground floor, and upstairs you ll find Rembrandt s bedroom, living room, and the studio, where he painted such works as his famous Nightwatch. You can also see his printing press and some 250 of his etchings and drawings, which hang on the 1 hr. Arrive here 1 2 hr. before closing to avoid the crowds. Visit on Wed or weekends to see etching demonstrations. Rembrandt House Museum. Jodenbreestraat 4 6 (at Waterlooplein). y 020/ www. rembrandthuis.nl. Admission 8 adults, 5.50 students, 1.50 kids Daily 10am 5pm. Closed Jan. 1. Tram: 9 or 14 to Waterlooplein. Below Sea Level Amsterdammers have always had an intimate relationship with the sea. All those centuries of listening to the waves beating against the dikes raised against its clear and present danger how could it be otherwise? But that its solid, timeless buildings stand, and its 750,000 inhabitants live, where waves should by all rights be lapping, is a difficult concept for foreigners to grasp. Amsterdam lies up to 5.5m (18 ft.) below mean sea level. That it does not lie beneath the sea is due to stringent protective measures and Dutch engineering skill, which together have kept the city s collective head above water for most of the past 800 years. If the coast defenses that protect Amsterdam should ever be overwhelmed, most of the city would vanish beneath the waves (did you check that insurance policy?). A graphic cross-section of the topography between the North Sea and Amsterdam, which you can buy printed on postcards and posters, shows that Vondelpark would become a lake, the Metro tunnels would be well and truly drowned, and the trams would float away, but if you happened to be standing on top of the Oude Kerk tower you wouldn t even get your feet wet.